White Rot Fungi in Georgia
To an untrained professional, rot of any kind can be extremely difficult to identify! Some things you may notice with white rot fungi can include the wood becoming a bleached, white color with the presence of black lines between the bleaching and the wood, or wood becoming soft or fibrous (spongy or stringy). This fungus feeds on the lignin (a component of plant cells) and hemicellulose (a component of plant cells) of wooden material.
White Rot Fungi Habitat
This fungus usually lives and feeds on hardwood in the crawlspace like oak, ash, etc. It can also be found on exterior wood, such as porches/decks, windows, doors, trim, rafters, subflooring, etc.
White Rot Fungi Threats or Dangers
The moisture content of the crawlspace must be 28% or greater in order for this fungus to survive. As the fungus grows, the hyphae (thread-like filamentous structures that provide nutrients for fungi) start attacking and breaking down the wood. They break down the inner cellular components of the wood, compromising the structural integrity. These fungi need four things to survive: wood, which will serve as food, optimal moisture at or above 28% moisture content, ideal temperatures between 60-90℉, and oxygen.
